My Wines

My Cellar

"Winemaking isn’t a matter of life or death – it’s much more important than that!" Leo Buring 1876 - 1961.
Among the many personalities that have shape the Australian wine industry over the past 150 years one name stands pre-eminent – Leo Buring. Hermann Paul Leopold Buring was born in South Australia on the 7th October 1876, the son of German immigrants. He was a highly skilled winemaker and ... Read more

"Winemaking isn’t a matter of life or death – it’s much more important than that!" Leo Buring 1876 - 1961.
Among the many personalities that have shape the Australian wine industry over the past 150 years one name stands pre-eminent – Leo Buring. Hermann Paul Leopold Buring was born in South Australia on the 7th October 1876, the son of German immigrants. He was a highly skilled winemaker and is often described as "Australia's Ambassador for Wine" because he was one of the first to export Australian wine to many countries as far back as the early 1900’s.
In 1896, Leo was Dux of the Oenology course at Roseworthy Agricultural College. He then gained practical experience in Europe before settling back in Australia at Minchinbury in 1902. Four years later, his wines earned 6 gold medals at The Brewers and Wine Exhibition in London.
Leo Buring finally achieved his dream at the age of 68 when he bought the Orange Grove Winery at Tanunda, in the Barossa Valley, which he re-named, "Chateau Leonay".
Over the years, Leo Buring has established a reputation as Australia's foremost maker of Riesling – the flagship being Leo Buring Leonay. They combine intense fruit flavours with great elegance. The wines age gracefully and acquire a great depth of toasty flavour while still retaining great freshness, and avoiding the kerosene -like character that hampers other aged Rieslings.
Acclaimed wine critic and judge, James Halliday, once described Leo Buring as, "the greatest maker of Rhine Riesling in Australia" and “Australia’s foremost producer of Rieslings over a 30-year period.”
Leo's influence in introducing Australia to table wine has been far reaching. His influence on the industry, ranging from technical advice to government reports, resulted in many improvements. The wine industry and wine lovers alike owe a great debt to Leo Buring, Australia's Ambassador for Wine.
“The key to making great Riesling is an obsessive attention to detail” Oliver Crawford, Leo Buring Winemaker.
The goal of Leo Buring winemaker Oliver Crawford is a very simple one, to make the best Riesling in Australia. Oliver’s definition of great Australian Riesling is a wine that has a profound depth of flavour combined with an elegant steeliness and fine acidity.
Of all the grape varietals Riesling is the one that is most expressive of its regional source. Minute changes in soil, climate and aspect are directly reflected in theavours found in the final wine. To that end, Oliver Crawford has worked closely with the Leo Buring viticulturists to identify the best vineyards, and literally the best rows in those vineyards, within the Clare and Eden Valleys to source the perfect fruit for Leonay.
The Leo Buring Rieslings will now be bottled using the highest quality screw cap to maintain maximum aromatic fruit characters.
“The delicate, aromatic nature of Riesling demands the use of a screw cap closure. A screw cap ensures that delicate wine such as these are fresh and looking their best every time.” Oliver Crawford. Read less